Shoe machine



p l 6, 1948. F/AsHW RTH I 2,438,986.

SHOE MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 6, 1948. s wo 2,438,986

SHOE MACHINE File ,d Feb. 28, 1945 6 She etS-Sheet 2 April 6, 1948. v As w 2,438,986

SHOE MACHINE Filed'Feb. 28, 1945 e Sheets-Sheet 3 v f Alf/ 15 Arm 7 F. ASHWORTH SHOE MACHINE April 6,1948.

Filed Feb. 28, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 5) ms Afro/Pu: r

April 6, 1948.

F. ASHWORTH SHOE MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 LIL j 1/11- a a PI w w m z 6, Lt 1 $1 llwll 4 6 w i 5. J. M3 MW WHMHHHH a 7 p z a @j W ,0 O y/a 6 w, mHH w 7 7 mi 5 m vA M Q 5 A TTOR/Vi) April 6, 1948.

F. ASHWORTH SHOE MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jim Patented Apr. 6, 1948 SHOE MACHINE Fred Ashworth, Wenham, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 28, 1945, Serial No. 580,163

20 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to shoe machines and, in its illustrated embodiment, is intended as a further improvement of a machine disclosed in inventors United States Letters Patent Nos. 2,388,244 and 2,388,245, both granted November 6, 1945, for operating upon stitchdown shoes in which a welt is attached by sewing to the marginal portions of an outturned upper and an outsole while supported upon a last, although, in certain aspects, the invention is applicable to other types of shoe machines in which a welt attaching or other operation is performed progressively along a shoe.

In United States Letters Patent No. 1,774,498, granted September 2, 1930, upon application of the present inventor and Adm Thompson, a machine of similar construction is disclosed havin a welt cutting knife, actuated automatically when the leading end of the welt engages a feeler, to form a close-fitting joint between the leading and final ends of the welt on a shoe. The feeler of the machine of Patent No. 1,774,498 rides alon the surface of the shoe against which the welt is laid approximately in line with the seam and necessarily spaced along the line of the seam a substantial distance in advance of the sewin point, the welt being severed at the same distance from the sewing point in order to avoid interfering with the operation of the stitch-forming devices. A disadvantage in locating th feeler in advance of the sewing point is encountered when the operation progresses about an abruptly curving contour of the shoe, the curvature of the projecting marginal portions ofthe upper and sole carrying those portions of the shoe out of engagement with the feeler. Consequently, improper operation of the feeler and knife may ccur, subjecting the welt as well as other portions of the shoe to possibility of injury,

In the machine of the first two patents above referred to, a welt cutting knife is provided, acting at the end of an operation, against the welt being sewn to a stitchdown shoe, along that portion of the welt in actual contact with the shoe, within a stitch length of the last inserted stitch of a seam. To sever the welt completely in the machine of Patent No. 2,388,244, it is necessary to exert a pull on the welt when the shoe is finally withdrawn from the machine by the operator. The machine of Patent No. 2,388,245 is provided with a knife which completely severs the welt without depending upon a pull on the welt to separate the ends. In both cases the substance of the shoe itself acts as a cutting block so that 2 the location of the cut may be gaged accurately on the shoe. 7

An object of the present invention is to equip a shoe machine of the class disclosed in the first two mentioned patents and arranged to secure a welt to the outturned upper and projecting margin of a stitchdown shoe, with an automatic welt cutting or severing knife, as in the machine of the Patent No. 1,774,498, having knife actuatlng mechanism controlled automatically by a feeler or other Sensing means located sufficiently close to the point of operations so that the shoe will not be subject to the possibility of injury from improper action of the feeler.

A further object is to insure proper operation of the operating devices in such a shoe machine by arranging the feeler at a suitable location with reference to the point of operations to cause actuation of the knife at a point on the welt where an accurate joint will be formed between the leading and final ends of the welt secured to the shoe without possibility of interference between the feeler and the other operating devices.

Other objects of the invention are to provide, in a progressively operating machine of the class referred to having a welt cutting or other operating device and mechanism for actuating the device against the work, a suitable sensing means acting automatically to trip into operation the actuating mechanism at a, predetermined point i the operation on the work and, more generally, to improve and render more uniform than 4 a feeler in a sewing machine such as disclosed in Patent No. 1,744,498 for'tripping into operation mechanism for actuating a knife located close to the sewing point, the feeler also must engage the shoe at or in close proximity to the sewing point. A feeler cannot be located exactly at the sewing point, however, since it must ride along the shoe at all times and would interfere with proper operation of the needle and other stitch forming devices during sewing operations. Displacement in location of the feeler along the seam line from the sewing pointand from the pointof operation of the knife to avoid the stitch forming devices as in thepatent last referred to renders operation of the knife inaccurate to the extent of displacement. Inaccurate operation of the knife prevents formation of a close-fitting joint at the ends of the welt. Even with manual control of the knife so displace-d it is no longer possible to cut the welt against the substance of the shoe, thus .necessitating tithe gexercisezof considerable skill and-attention onthe part of the operator for acceptable results on a factory production basis.

As will appear more fully hereinafter, .in .the embodiment of one feature of the presentinvention, a sewing machine for yattachingea .weltitoa mounted for operation along the linerofi-the inserted within a stitch length of the sewing point, as in the machine of 'Patents'Nos. 2388;244- and 2,388,245, to act against the substance-of the shoe as a cutting block, there being provided in the present :machine a feeler or other suitable automatic sensing means. arranged tocause the cutting knife to be actuated .in response to an element onrthe shoe disposed outof-line withthe sewing point so as to act apart; from .the. leading YeI dEOf .the welt -.alreadyisecured to theshoe, and vlil fiil 'e ndentlyof any other essential structural :feature of -:the shoe. Thus .this actuating rele- .m.entfmayfbeappliedrto the shoe atzany desired .locatiomonthe shoe dependingupon ,the particu- .lar style before .the ,shoe -is presented to the m hin 'With the-sensing means located substantially out of line with the seam to rbednserted ;it need .rno :longer act along -the surface \of v the d pper;

against which the welt is laid, subjecting the upper :to possibility of damage :as in the zprior :machine of Patent -gNo. -1 '7fl4,-498. Also, :the sensring means may be arranged togprevent improper operation :of rtheiknife as :aresult *Qf tipping the .shoe -while presentin it to the sewing -;devices, partieularly along portions of abrupt curvature .on a shoe.

. In the illustrated form of this feature, *the ifeeler pooperates with ya, projection on the -:edge {of the shoe sole ;as :an actuating element. The ignite, itherefore, may :be located as in ilihe :maicghine of Batents Nos. 2,388,2 :and 2, 8 ;'2 .5:ap aproximately at the point .of sewingaop'erations ,at :least :within :a stitch :l'ength thereof. .Thus, the melt may the severed during :sewing operations conveniently without requiring the exercise .of "specialskillto provide an accurately :formed'joint between the .ends of 1thenwelt while :the sewing :operations may be lcontinuedsuflioientlyftp insert ione L01 :more stitches to .connect :the ends ".(If the 2,388,244 as well as the present machine are provided with means in continual engagement with the welt for advancing the end of the welt remaining in the machine after the knife has acted and, in order to facilitate applying a new length of welt to the machine, in one form of construction comprising a feature of the present inven "ition, the melt advancingl means is held selectively out-of engagement with the welt by shifting a movable welt releasing member manually while 'uthe machine is at rest. In addition, the present machine is equipped with a driving and stopping mechanism for bringing the stitch forming deivices to .11351? ;.in the .desired relationship at the lasted shoe is equipped withawelt.cuttingsknife, .5 rendto'f eaiseamgand the welt releasing member is gwelton the shoe and-conceal it-he Ljoint. Preferiably,:the feeler has .a pivotal mounting with its pivot axis disposed substantially .parallel .to :the tread surface'sof :t-heisole :to :cause .the feeler to swing substantially within :the plane .of .;the sole iedgeand in :the direction of the seam ilineiwhen .actu-ated. hereinafter described, suitable means provided for adjusting the feeler in its mounting ztowardand "from the sole ledge com- =arranged:to be. actuated by the driving and stoppin mechanism.instarting a new seam to reengage the Wlt 'in pre aration for a new ad- .vancingoperation.

While the sensing means illustrated as being .embodied .in the machine :of the present invenition .comprises.a .feeler-.and the cooperating actu- .atin-g element .is illustrated as a projection from the soletedgaotheriorms of sensingmeans and .of .actuating elements might well beemployed whichwouldnotinterfere with the operation of rthe .stitch..formingdevices. or. obstruct the feeding ,movements of the shoe through the machine. .Also, .the features .ofthe invention are .usefulin a .machine .for performing progressive operations other .than.,-sewing .in which separatelyoperating .devicesareutilized.

As will be apparent from a consideration-ofrthc novel .--and improved devices, combinations and .arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, .the advantages of the invention will readily be understood from .the following de- .scription taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings .illustrating one-embodiment of -.the invention.

Inflthe drawings,

Fig. .1 is aviewin frontelevationof the upper part .and .actuating .treadle of ashoe sewing ma- :chine including the features -of the present in- .vention, portions of the machine .having been broken ,away and .shownin section, the --better to illustrate .the construction;

lFTig..- 2;is.a ,detail view inright sideelevationof .certain portions of the .machine of Fig. 1,.shown partlyjn sectionand illustrating the mechanism .forcontrolling the operation of the welt cutting lknifeand welt. advancing means;

Big. 3 isadetail view in front-elevation, on an -.enlarged scale, of the welt cutting .knife and .advancing .means, indicating the .positionsof the parts while the welt is beingsevered;

.Eig. 4 .is a similar viewof the upper end of the .knifeafter being retracted from its cutting position of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. v3, showing the positions of the parts after the welt has been advanced to enable the leading end to be led into the firststitchoi a new seam;

Fig. 56 is a detail sectional view. taken along the line V-I'VI in 'Fig. 7, showing the welt clamp "for the'welt advancing means in the'position assumed after the welt engaging and clamping member has been disengaged from the welt to facilitateadjustment or replacement of the welt in the machine;

Fig. "7 is a plan view-of the parts illustrated in Fig. '3;

Fig. 8 is a sectional .view of the parts illustrated in Fig.3, taken along the line VIIL-VIII;

'Fig. 9 is adetail side view ofa portion of the welt cutting knife actuating mechanism of the machine while in inoperative position;

Fig. is a similar view, partly broken away and in section, of the tripping connections only, between the feeler and the cam follower, for ac tuating the welt cutting knife, with the parts in the positions assumed when the mechanism has been tripped into operation;

Fig. 11 is a similar view of all the mechanism in Fig. 9, with the parts in the positions assumed during operation of the welt cutting knife;

Fig. 12 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the tripping connections and cam follower illustrated in Fig. 9, before being tripped into operation;

Fig. 13 is a similar view of the same parts after being tripped into operation;

Fig. 14 is a view in front elevation of the same tripping connections;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation of the feeler and tripping connections for the knife actuating mechanism, indicating the operation of the feeler from a projection on the marginal portion of the shoe;

Figs. 16, 1'7 and 18 are detail plan views of the active end of the feeler, showing the positions of sively in a lasted shoe and is similar, except as hereinafter described, to the machine diclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,271,611, granted February 3, 1942, upon an application filed in the names of Fred Ashworth and Carl F. Whitaker, as well as to the machine disclosed in inventors prior patents above identified, to which reference may be hadfor a, more complete description of the construction and mode of operation.

The features of invention embodied in the present machine are intended to simplifyand render more effective the operation of the machine disclosed in the Patents Nos. 2,388,244 and 2,388,245 and to attach by inserting stitches passing through the marginal portions of a stitchdown shoe provided with an upper having an outflanged marginally projecting portion 2, of Figs. 15 to 18, an insole 4, an outsole 6 and a finish welt 8, bevel cut surfaces at the ends of which are brought into abutting relation at In, as in the machine of the present inventors prior patents just referred to, to form a smooth finished joint. 1

The machine of the prior patents last referred to is constructed and arranged to insert either one or two final stitches in a seam, beyond the point where the welt is cut, thus securing the extreme final end of the welt against separation from the end first sewed to the shoe. The machine of these patents is provided with a manually controlled driving and stopping mecha nism for terminating operations at the end of a seam in the usual way and to cause the welt to be cut whenever the machine is brought to rest. In order to avoid undesirable operation of the welt cutter in case the machine is brought to rest before the seam is completed according to the construction in the machine of the prior patents last referred to, a manually actuated latch is provided for locking the welt cutter actuating mechanism out of operation while sewing the major portion of the seam. Just before the prior machine is brought to rest, it is necessary for the operator of the machine to actuate the latch, releasing the cutter mechanism and rendering it operable by the driving and stopping mechanism. The operation of a manual latch in this way adds to the duties and skill required of the machine operator and frequently is the source of difficulty in the production of satisfactory results.

The welt cutter of the machine of the two patents last referred to comprises a knife acting along the seam line on that portion of welt in actual contact with the shoe and against the substance of the outflanged shoe upper 2 within a stitch length of the sewing point, to form matching bevel surfaces at the ends of the welt, but the time of operation of the knife is determined by the operator in controlling the driving and stopping mechanism. Unless control of the drivin and stopping mechanism is exercised accurately, there will be no certainty that the cut ends of the welt will be brought into matching registry, and the final end may overlap for a substantial distance the end of welt first attached to the shoe. Accordingly, an extra thickness of overlapping welt may present an unsightly bulging appearance, cause unnecessary wastage of Welt and require insertion of a number of useless stitches with additional perforations inthe marginal portions of theshoe parts tending to weaken the parts to an undesirable degree.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the use of automatic sensing means, acting during operation of the stitch forming devices in response to an arbitrary actuating element on the shoe, consisting of an integral projection or tongue 12 provided along the edge surface of the shoe outsole 6 in out of line relation to the seam to be inserted to trip a welt cuttin knife I into operation. The knife I is of the same construction as in the machine of the last mentioned patents, but in the present machine it acts at exactly the proper time and position of the shoe during its feeding movement through the machine without any manual intervention on the part of the operator. The shape of the outsole before the shoe is presented to the machine is illustrated in Fig. 19, the outsole having been rough-rounded in such a way as to leave the projection [2 close to the breast line of the heel portion along the inner side of the shank. In order to enable a uniformly shaped projection to be formed according to acceptable practices of manufacture, a machine may be utilized such as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No.

2,384,530, granted September 11, 1945,. in the names of Charles G. Brostrom and Walter E. Naugler.

The automatic sensing means illustrated here-- in consists of a feeler formed from a length of relatively stiff wire l4 bent into a vertical position along the end engaging the work and shaped with a suitable configuration to avoid interference with the stitch forming devices and the movements of the thread during sewing operations. The upper end of the feeler wire is provided with a horizontal shank adjustably secured with its length extending parallel to the line of the seam and to the edge of the sole during sewing operations. The shank of the feeler is secured within a clamp It on a tripping lever i8 made fast to a pivot 28' substantially parallel to the tread surface of the shoe sole and at right angles to the seam line. The pivot 28 is rotatable in a block 22- screwed to the frame of the machine. When the sole projection l2 engages the feeler, it swings the feeler substantially in the plane of the sole edge with the pivot Zil from the solid-line position of the feeler to the dot-dash line position of Fig. 15, setting into operation mechanism for actuating the welt cutter knife 1 against the welt and upper of the shoe along the outturned portion, to form a bevel cut in proper timed relation to the operation of the stitch forming devices so that there will be no danger of contact by the rapidly moving parts.

The work engaging end of the feeler wire I4 is located to act at a position out of line in the direction of progressive work feed with the seam inserted by the machine and opposite the point of sewing operations so that, as the position of the shoe is changed in presenting it to the stitch forming devices, any angular movement of the shoe will not disengage it from the feeler. Thus, an. accurate result is obtained without danger of Causing improper operation of the knife, as might occur in the machine of Patent No. 1,774,498 when the feeler is spaced along the seam line at a distance from the sewing point.

The illustrated machine is provided with the usual stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle 24, a curved awl 26, and a shuttle surrounding a locking thread supply case 28 (Fig. l), and work clamping members including a work support 36, and a presser foot 32 and other devices similar to those of the Ashworth and Whitaker patent. To direct the welt against the outflanged marginal portions of the shoe upper 2, the work support is provided with a welt guide 34 in the form of a slotted extension at that end as aase of the work support first engaged by .the ad vancing marginal portions of the shoe, as more fully described in Patents Nos. 2,388,244 and 2,388,245.

The welt is led to the welt guide from a suitable source of supply and is directed from beneath the work support through the guide into engagement with the marginal portions of the shoe upper; as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, forming a bend at the point of contact of the welt with the shoe upper. To sever the welt with a bevel cut, the welt cutting knife 1 consists of an elongated thinblade slidingly mounted at its upper end to move with in the welt guide beneath the welt and parallel to the path taken by the welt. The upper end of the blade is sharpened to sever the welt along the bend at the point of contact with the upper, the substance of the upper serving as a cutting block for the knife.

The mechanism for actuating the knife is the same as that described in the said patents-last referred to and consists, briefly, of a pivot 36 passing through perforations in the doubled-over lower end of the knife blade and through an arm of a bell crank 38 rotatable about a pivot screw Ml threaded into a boss 4'2 on the work support. Another slotted arm of the bell crank is connected through the upturned arm of a. link 44 (see Fig. 2) to a downwardly extending arm of a yoke-shaped support 45 swinging on a horizontal shaft 43 secured in th machine frame.

The knife actuating mechanism of which the support 46 is a part includes a rearwardly extending follower lever 5!! fulcrumed on a substantially vertical screw 52 threaded into the support. One arm of the follower lever 50 engages a cam disk 54 secured to a shaft 56 comprising, with a parallel shaft 51, asimultaneously rotated pair which actuates the stitch forming devices during sewing operations. The cam disk 54 has a radial projection 58 for "depressing the follower lever when the lever is held in its path. The follower lever normally is held away from the path of the projection 58 during sewing operations, to prevent the knife from being actuated.

To prevent the welt severing knife mechanism from being actuated at undesired times, the follower lever 50 is locked against the force of a spring 69 coiled about the hub of the leverwith one end engaging a, pin on the lever and the other a pin on the support 46, the spring 6!) tending to swing the lever toward active position into the path of the cam projection 58. For locking the follower lever out of the path of the cam projection, the lever carries a latch 62 centrally pivoted at 64 and yieldingly pressed against a plate 65 secured to the support 46 by a, coiled spring 66 surrounding the pivot 64, one end of the spring being hooked about the latch and the otherend bent to enter a diametric slot in the pivot 64, which in turn is fixed to one arm of the followerlever50. The latch is provided with an arm projecting forwardly of the machineso disposed as to extend into the path of a releasing pawl 68 pivotally mounted on a screw l0 threaded into a latch releasing arm i2 actuated by movement to theleft of the feeler wire It.

To actuate the latch releasing arm 12 when the feeler wire lll is shifted, the releasing arm is secured to the right end of a shaft 14 (see Fig. 14) rotatable in the upper portion of a bracket 15 screwed to the yoke portion of the support 45. The left end of the shaft f4 has clamped to it a releasing finger 73 extending into the path of movement of a setscrew is carried by one arm of the tripping lever 88, to the other arm of which the feeler wire I4 is clamped. The arrangement is such that during the feeding movement of the shoe in the machine when the projection l2 on the shoe sole comes into contact with the sole engaging end of the feeler wire, the wire is pressed to the left (dot-dash position of Fig. 15) swinging the tripping lever with its pivot 29 and depressing the releasing finger T8, the pawl 68 and the projecting arm on the latch 62. As soon as the latch 62releases the follower lever edits cam engaging arm moves about the screw 52 along the sewing shaft 55 into the path of the projection 58 on the cam 54 to the position of Fig. 13. Engagement of the projection 58 on the cam (Fig. 11 with the follower lever 59 as the cam continues to rotate swings the support 46 to actuate the welt cutting knife in a manner more fully described in Patents Nos. 2,388,244 and 2,388,245.

After actuation of the welt cutting knife, the follower lever 53 is moved by an axial wedging surface on the cam to its original position and the projecting arm of the latch strikes the rearward edge of the releasing pawl 68, rotating it on its pivot screw it slightly to accommodate further rearward movement of the latch. As soon as the releasing finger l3 and the pawl 68 are permitted to rise, the edge of the pawl rides along the forward face of the latch arm and springs into its reset position above the arm, as in Fig. 9. Thus a double actuation of the cutter knife is avoided.

To return the pawl to its reset position in this way, the shaft 14 has coiled about its right end a torsional spring 8| having one end hooked around a pin on an arm of the pawl 68 and the other end passing through a slot in an arm of the bracket 16 which extends over the right end of the shaft M. A shoulder screw 82 is inserted in the end of the shaft 14 to prevent displacement of the spring. The spring 8| urges the pawl toward the projecting arm of the latch until a downwardly extending finger on the pawl engages the under side of the latch releasing arm #2. Besides holding the finger on the pawl against the latch, the spring 8| also rocks the shaft Hi to raise the releasing finger 18 into contact with the setscrew 19 in the tripping lever.

The action of the feeler wire 14 at the end of a seam is best illustrated in Figs. 1'7 and 18. The feeler wire is first engaged by the projection I2 on the outsole member 6 when the end of the Welt first attached to the shoe reaches a position within a stitch length of the sewing point. The work is then fed a stitch length, moving the feeler wire leftwardly to cause the cutting knife to be tripped into operation. The welt is thus severed by the knife and. thereafter a stitch is inserted overlapping the trailing severed end of the welt attached to the shoe and joining it firmly to the end of the welt first attached to the shoe, as in Fig. 18. One or more additional stitches may also be inserted at the will of the operator after the welt is severed without danger of sewing to the shoe the severed end of the welt remaining in the machine inasmuch as the two welt ends at opposite sides of the cut formed by the knife readily separate during continued feeding movement of the shoe.

To prevent the end of the welt severed from the shoe from being frictionally engaged by the shoe and drawn along with the shoe while inserting additional stitches overlapping the severed end of the welt on the shoe, the work support is formed with a recess 83 at the outlet of the welt guide located in the direction of feed in advance of the sewing point. The recess is in the form of a slot in the work engaging surface of the work support with the end of the slot adjacent to the sewing point tapered upwardly with substantially the same angle as the bevel on the severed end of the Welt (see Fig. 4). Thus, the end of the welt severed from the shoe will fit snugly within the recess without projectin above its work clamping surface. The mechanism for actuating the knife is arranged to withdraw the knife below the level of the recess each time the knife is actuated to avoid injury to the welt remaining in the machine. The recess is so arranged that, when the welt is advanced for a new sewing operation, as in Fig. 5, the forward end of the welt will be carried readily out of the recess and into the point of operation of the stitch forming devices.

The start of a seam on a new shoe presented to the machine is illustrated in Fig. 16. Here the projecting marginal portions of the outsole and upper are pressed rearwardly to bring the edges against the feeler wire [4 and laterally to the right to locate the right edge of the projection l2 in contact with the feeler wire. Location of the sole projection in this way enables the feeler wire to serve as a gage in determining accurately the proper starting position for the seam in which the welt may be attached at its leading end to the shoe. By utilizing the wire as a gage, the welt cutting knife is actuated at the proper instant after the seam has substantially been completed to form a smooth close-fitting joint between the leading and final ends of the welt.

To insure accurate gaging action of the feeler wire the tripping lever I8 is held yieldinglyin contact with a setscrew 84 threaded into an overhanging arm of a plate 85 secured to the machine frame and forming a support for the pivot 20 which is clamped by a screw 86 threaded into the lever l8. The outer end of the pivot 20 is slotted to receive a diametrically bent end of :a spring 81 coiled about the pivot and having its opposite end located in a slotted portion of the plate 22. The spring 8'! acts through the pivot 2.0 to rotate the tripping lever against the setscrew 84 and holds it in this position until the feeler wire is actuated by the sole projection i2.

The driving and stopping mechanism is substantially the same as that disclosed in the Ashworth and Whitaker patent and Patents Nos. 2,388,244 and 2,388,245, including a high-speed clutch 88 on the sewing shaft 51 and a low-speed clutch 90 automatically engaged whenever the high speed clutch is disengaged. The high-speed clutch 88 is directly controlled by suitable connections with a downwardly extending treadle rod 92 (see Figs. 1 and 2), the lower end of. which is connected with a yieldably depressible treadle 94. When the treadle is depressed the low-speed clutch is disengaged and the high-speed clutch engaged to drive the machine at regular sewing speeds.

The mechanism for engaging and disengaging automatically the low-speed clutch 30 is of conventional construction and includes a vibrating cam actuated lever 96, having one arm overlying a spring-pressed lock bolt 93 slidably mounted in a carrier Hill for movement toward and from the vibrating lever. The lower end of the lock bolt is connected by a link NZ to one arm of a lever I04 having on another of its arms a roll Hi6 arranged in the path of a cam E38 to which the .upperend of the treadle rod 92 is connected. When the treadle rod is depressed the lock bolt is withdrawn from engagement with the vibrating lever and the low-speed clutch rendered inoperative. When the treadle is released, the lock bolt re-engages the vibrating lever at the proper time to enter a recess in the lever and to cause the low-speed clutch to be thrown into operation. The low-speed clutch first acts as a brake to reduce the speed of rotation of the machine and thereafter becomes disengaged to permit the machine to come to rest in a predetermined position.

During the final stopping movements of the machine, the presser foot is disengaged from the work so that the work may be removed readily and other auxiliary operations are performed to return the machine to a condition for starting a new seam. For performing these auxiliary operations, the driving and stopping mechanism is provided with a rockshaft H0 at the rear oi the machine which is given a small angular motion from the sewing shaft 51 just as the machine comes to its final stopping position. The connections for imparting this angular motion are more fully described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,233,539, granted July 17, 1917, on an application of the present inventors.

As in the machine of Patents Nos. 2,388,244 and 2,388,245, the illustrated machine is provided with means for advancing the cut end of the welt remaining in the machine across the point of operation of the stitch forming devices in readiness to start a new sewing operation. This mechanism is specifically described in Patent No. 2,388,245 and comprises a clamp through which the welt passes. The Welt clamp is best shown in Figs. 3to8, inclusive, of the present drawings and consists of a block H2 mounted for sliding movement upon an elongated portion of a welt guide bracket IM mounted with its welt guiding portion in substantial alinement with the welt guide 34 in the work support. Cooperating with the welt clamp slide block I I2 is a clamp lever lit pivotally mounted at H8 on the block II2 with one arm offset to enter an opening I20 in the under side of the slide block. The welt guiding. portion of the guide bracket II l also is slotted along its upper and under surfaces to admit the offset end of the clamp lever H6 and a lug formed integrally with a cap plate I22 secured to the slide block IIZ. When the clamp lever Iii; is rotated in a clockwise direction it engages the welt along its under side and clamps it against the lug of the cap plate, thus providing a secure grip on the welt.

To actuate the welt clamp, a downwardly extending arm on the clamp. lever H6 is connected to the forward end of a welt advancing wire I24 passing through a sheath I26 secured to the guide bracket Ht at one end and to a fixed clamping block I25 at the other end (see Fig. 2). The rearward end of the advancing wire I2 .passes loosely through a passage in an offset lug on a link I23 pivotally connected with an arm I36 secured to the presser foot lifting rockshaft Hi3 of the driving and stopping mechanism. The welt is advanced after the presser foot has been disengaged from the work at the end of a seam and the proper timing of the welt advancing operation is obtained by securing to the rearward end of the welt-advancing Wire I24 a pair of spaced collars I 32, one on either side of the ofiset portion of the link I28 in sufficiently separated relation to provide lost motion between the arm I30 and the wire.

The connections of the welt clamp lever II6 with the advancing wire I24 are arranged to cause the clamp lever to grip the welt when the wire is moved forwardly and to move the sliding block II2 with the clamped welt across the sewing point into the position of Fig. 5. This occurs during the final movements of the machine after the shoe being operated upon is released from between the work support and presser foot. When the machine is restarted, the sliding block H2 is retracted by the advancing wire IN, the force of the wire on the clamp lever releasing the clamping pressure on the welt. In order to insure proper clamping action, however, the clamp lever H6 is maintained in light yielding contact with the welt which is insufficient to retract the welt with the block during its return movement in starting the machine.

To facilitate applying a new length of welt to the machine or adjusting the position of the welt in the machine conveniently, the welt clamp lever H6 is held out of engagement with the welt by a manually shiftable lever I34 fulcrumed on a pivot screw I36 mounted in a lug projecting from the upper surface of the cap plate I22 on the slide 2., The shiftable lever I34 has a substantially horizontal arm and a downwardly extending arm arranged to depress a lateral extension of the clamp lever I I6, as shown in Fig. 6. To render the shiftable lever inoperative during sewing operations, the horizontal arm of the lever is acted upon by a spring-pressed plunger 5% carried by the slide block II2.

When it is desired to release the welt from the clamping action of the lever H6 at the will 12 of the operator for any reason, the horizontal arm of the shiftable lever I34 is depressed to cause its downwardly extending arm to force the clamp lever downwardly. The friction between the downwardly extending arm of the shiftable lever and the clamp lever is sufficient to prevent the spring-pressed plunger I38 from returning the shiftable lever to its inoperative position so that the welt may be manipulated readily and its position changed within the guide to suit the conditions. However, as soon as the machine is restarted the sliding block I I2 is retracted to the right by the stop-motion connections, in.the

manner explained above, bringing the horizontal arm of the shiftable leveragainst a cam ma projecting upwardly from the guide bracket H4. The cam It!) causes the shifta'ble lever to be returned forcibly to its inoperative position and the clamp lever to here-engaged with'the welt in readiness for a new advancing operation.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and'a particular embodiment of the invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having attaching devices, a welt guide for directing a welt into'a position on the'shoe in advance of the operating point, and a knife constructed and mountedfor operation on that portion of the welt in actual contact with the shoe, in combination with automatic sensing means located and arranged for actuation during operations on the shoe by an element on the shoe disposed out of the line of operation of said attaching devices to cause the knife to cut the Welt.

2. A machine for use m, the manufacture of shoes, having attaching devices, a welt guide for directing a welt into a position on the shoe in advance of the operating point, and aiknife constructed andfmounted for operation on that portion of the welt in actual contact with the shoe, in' combination with automatic mechanism, including sensing means acting along the marginal portion of the shoe "sole, during the attaching operations on. the shoe, 'to cause the knife to cut the welt.

3. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having attachin devices, a'welt guide for directing a welt into a position on the shoe in advance off the operating point, and a knife con-' structed and moiin'tedffo'r operation on that portion of the welt in actuai contact with theshoe, and mechanism for actuating the knifeto cut the welt, in combination with a feeler engaging the edge of. the sole, arranged to trip the knife mechanism into operation, and apivotal mounting for the 'feeler having its axis substantially parallelfto and above the 'tread surface oft-he sole beingfopera'ted upon, tojcauseithe feeler to swing within the plane of the sole edge whengac'tuated.

5. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having attachingfdevices', a welt guide for directing a welt into a position on the shoe in advance of the operating point, a knife con- 2,4ee,ose

structed and mounted for operation on that portion of the welt in actual contact with the shoe, and mechanism for actuating the knife to cut the welt, in combination with a feeler engaging the edge of the sole, arranged to trip the knife mechanism into operation, a pivotal mounting for the feeler having its axis substantially parallel to and above the tread surface of the sole being operated upon, to cause the feeler to swing within the plane of the sole edge when actuated, and means for adjusting the feeler toward and from the sole edge, comprising a shank on the feeler, and a releasable clamp in which the shank is secured with its length extending parallel to the sole edge.

6. A sewing machine for use in the manufacture of stitchdown shoes, having stitch forming devices actuated to secure a welt progressively to the outturned upper and sole of the shoe, a knife constructed and mounted for operation on that portion of the weltin actual contact with the shoe, and welt engaging means for advancing the end of the welt remaining in the machine after the knife has acted, in combination with manually actuated means for holding the welt advancing means but of engagement with the welt when the machine is at rest.

7. A sewing machine for use in the manufacture of stitchdown shoes, having stitch forming devices actuated to secure a welt progressively to the outturned upper and sole of a shoe, driving and stopping mechanism for bringing the stitch forming devices to rest at the end of a seam, a knife constructed and mounted for operation on that portion of the welt in actual contact with the shoe, and welt engaging means for advancing the severed end of the welt remaining in the machine across the sewing point after the knife has acted, in combination with means arranged to be shifted manually to disengage the welt advancing means from the welt-at the will of the operator and actuated by the driving and stopping mechanism in starting the machine in operation, to cause the welt advancing means to be reengaged with the welt.

8. A sewing machine for use in the manufacture of stitchdown shoes, having stitch forming 7 devices actuated to secure a welt progressively to the outturned upper and sole of a shoe, driving and stopping mechanism for bringing the stitch forming devices to rest at the end of a seam, a knife constructed and mounted for operation on that portion of the welt in actual contact with the shoe, and welt engaging means for advancing the severed end of the welt remaining in the machine across the sewing point after the knife has acted, in combination with a cam surface on the welt advancing means, a manually shiftable lever acting to release the welt from the welt advancing means, and connections between the lever and the driving and stopping mechanism for shifting the lever to cause the welt advancing means to be re-engaged with the welt when the machine is started in operation.

9. A sewing machine for use in the manufacture of stitchdown shoes, having stitch forming devices actuated to secure a welt progressively to the outturned upper and sole of a shoe, driving and stopping mechanism for bringing the stitch forming devices to rest at the end of a seam, a

welt severing knife, and welt engaging means for advancing the end of welt remaining in the machine across the sewing point after the knife has acted, in combination with a slide for moving the welt engaging means lengthwise of the welt, a

14 manually shiftable lever on the slide for releasing the welt from the welt engaging means, connections between the slide and the driving andstopping mechanism for moving the slide in one direction when the machine is being brought to rest and in the opposite direction when the machine is started in operation, to return the parts to their original positions, and a relatively stationary member against which the lever is actuated to cause the welt engaging means to be re-engaged with the welt when the machine is started.

10. A sewing machine for use in securing a welt to a work piece, having stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for actuating the stitch forming devices, a welt guide for directing the welt into position on the work piece in advance of the sewing point,,a knife for cutting the welt, mechanism for actuating the knife driven from the sewing shaft and including a cam on the sewing shaft, a follower cooperating with the cam, and a latch for holding the follower away from the cam, in combination with automatic sensing means acting in response to an element on the shoe during sewing, and connections between the latchand the sensing means for rendering the latch inoperative to prevent operation of the knife actuating follower.

11. A sewing machine for use in securing a welt to a work piece, having stitch forming devices, a sewing shaft for actuating the stitch forming devices, a welt guide for directing the welt into position on the work piece in advance of the sewing point, a knife for cutting the welt, mechanism for actuating the knife driven from the sewing shaft and including a cam on the sewing shaft, a follower cooperating with the cam, and a latch for holding the follower away from the cam, in combination with automatic sensing means acting in response to an element on the shoe during sewing, and connections between the latch and the sensing means for rendering the latch inoperative to prevent operation of the knife actuating follower comprising a pawl actuated by the sensing means into contact with the latch while the follower is inoperative and to release the latch when the follower is operated.

12. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having attaching devices, a welt guide for directing a welt into a position on'the shoe in advance of the operating point, and a, knife con structed and mounted for operation on that portion of the Welt in actual contact with the shoe, in combination with automatic sensing means located and arranged to be actuated during operations on the shoe by an element on the shoe disposed out of the line of operation of said attaching devices to cause the knife to be actuated, and means for advancing the end of the welt remaining in the machine after the welt is cut.

13. A sewing machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having stitch forming devices, a welt guide for directing a welt into position on the shoe in advance of the sewing point, a knife constructed and mounted for operation on the welt, driving and stopping mechanism for bringing the stitch forming devices to rest at the end of a seam, welt engaging means for advancing the end of the welt remaining in the machine, in combination with automatic sensing means arranged to be actuated during operations on a shoe by an element on the shoe to cause the knife to be actuated and connections between the driving and stopping mechanism and the welt engaging means for actuating the welt engaging means to causethe welt to beadvanced when the d'rivto rest.

-14.-A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes,having attaching device's, awelt guide-for directing a welt into a position on "the 'shoe in advance of the operatingpoint, and a'kniie con" structed and mounted for operation on that portion of'the welt in actual contact with the shoe, in combination with a feeler engaging the shoe and located opposite the point of 'operatio'n'and out of the line of operation of the attaching devices, to cause the knife to be actuated.

15. A sewing machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having stitch forming devices, a welt guide for directing'a welt into'a position on the shoe in advance of the sewing point, and a knife'constructed and mounted for operation on that portion of the welt'in actual contact with the shoe along the line of the seam inserted 'by the machine within a stitch length'of the sewing point, in combination with'a-feeler engaging the shoe opposite the sewingpoint, to cause the knife to be actuated.

16. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having attaching devices, a welt guide for directing a welt into a position on the shoe in advance of the operating point, and a knife-constructed and mounted for operation on that portion of the welt in actual contact with the shoe, in combination with work clamping'members one of which has a work engaging surface'for'securing the work in position at the point of operations, and a recess located in the direction of feed in advance of the operating point, for receiving the end of the Welt severed from the shoe to enable the attaching operations to be continued a substantial distance beyond the severed end of the welt on the shoe without attaching to the shoe-the end of the welt'remaining in the machine.

17; A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, having attaching devices, a welt-guide for directing the welt into a position on theshoe in advance of the operating point, and a knife'constructed and mounted for operation onthatportion of the welt in actual contact withtheshoe, in combination with work-clamping members one of -Which'has a work engaging surface forsecuring the Work in position at-the point ofoperations, and a recess located inthe direction of feed in advance of the operating point, for receiving the'end of the welt severed from the shoe to 1G enable the attaching o "'r ations 'to be continued a "Substantial dil-fialhbe bydnd the SVerBd 'Of the welt on the shoe without "attaching 'to the 51166 13116 lid the We1t fmai1'ifn'g in the ma- Chil'le, and. f'OI actuating the knife be'il aith the 163791 of'tlie "i ECE S S 84156? SVe'ring the welt to 'avoid injury to'th'e welt remainingi'n the machine curing continued operations of the attaching devices.

-28. A r'nachine "f-or use in the' manufacture of shoes, having separ ate devices engaging "a shoe to perform a pro'gfes'sive 1 operation "on the shoe, in combination with automatic sensin m eans located and arranged to act during' "o eration of said devices in response to an element disposed on the shoenut of line with the pointbf operation of said device'son the "shoe, -tocontro1 one of said devices when a predetermined position' of the shoe'is reached.

19. A machine for use :in the manufacture of shoes, having separate devices engaging the ma'rginal'p'ortion of a shoe sole provided with a .projection on its edge'to perform a progressive operation on the 'shoe, in combination with a feeler acting along the edge surface of the shoe sole during operation of said devices, 1 and mechanism, including connections between thefeeler and one of said devices, to'rendersaid one device operative upon contact of said projection with the feeler.

20. .A machine for use in the 'manufacture of shoes, having devices 'forperforming "a progressive operation on a shoe, and separate mechanisms 'for-actuating said devices, in combination with automatic sensing means arranged with-its sensing portion located-to act during-operation of said devicesinresponseto an element-disposed on the shoeout of line in-the direCticnofprogressive work feed with the point of operation of saiddevices on the shoe, to-control one ofth'e actuating"mechanismswhen-a predetermined position of the element'is reached.

FRED ASHWORTH.

Number Name 'Date 1,774,498 Ashworth'etal. "nu-Sept. 2, 1930 2,359,663 Morrill. s- Oct. 3, I944 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,438,986. April s, 1948.

FRED ASHWORTH It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 2, line 44, for the patent number 1,744,498 read 1,774,498 and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of October, A. D. 1948.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommissionerof Patents. 

